The son of a Harlem minister, Sam Wilson allowed anger to consume him after the death of his parents.

His personality changed and he became a criminal. On assignment in Rio de Janeiro for the Harlem mob, Wilson's
plane crashed on a remote Caribbean island inhabited by a group of Nazi sympathizers known as the Exiles.

The Red Skull used the power of the
Cosmic Cube to revert Wilson's personality
and create a psychic rapport with his pet hunting falcon, Redwing. The Skull's plan was to use Wilson as a pawn
against Captain America after he became the Avenger's partner.

After defeating the Exiles, Wilson and Captain America became long-term partners. With the assistance of fellow
Avenger the
Black Panther, Wilson obtained an advanced flying harness allowing him
to fly like a Falcon.